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Wouldn't be at all surprised to see the first examples being "test driven" at the Hard Rock Cafes Phil

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Concert Tuner & Technician for the past 49 years in the United Kingdomand Member of the Pianoforte Tuners' Association (London)www.jphillipspianoservices.freeindex.co.uk : E-mail jophillips06@aol.com

....Dave B relax this is a good thing for all artists for ALL stringed instruments. i am a journeyman in the stone industry as well as a musician so by having both perspectives I've developed Stonetone.

Thank you.

I'm sure the violinists will be fighting to the front of the line to try their bows out on a 60 lb violin.

Robert, the idea is interesting enough for me to want to hear a piano with the granite bridge, if I come across one. As others here and elswhere have found with unique tunings (eg.), recorded samples don't often offer full justice for the listener to hear subtle and/or unique differences.

If it doesn't catch on in a big way, don't be alarmed...you can always find a market in California...just tell them no condors were used in the testing of it, the granite is fully organic, pesticide free... and throw in a bio feedback system with a free tie dyed toga and you'll be set.

A very interesting treble quality that is in direct contradiction to the 'woody' sound (feel) that Steinway claims is preferred by their surveyed pianist.

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"Imagine it in all its primatic colorings, its counterpart in our souls - our souls that are great pianos whose strings, of honey and of steel, the divisions of the rainbow set twanging, loosing on the air great novels of adventure!" - William Carlos Williams

[irony on]Quickly popping in from the garden, where I had some great fun making mudcakes with Johnkie.[irony off]

Just for the record:

I am absolutely fascinated by the concept of alternative materials for piano components, and how they influence touch and tone. I am even more interested in a scientific exploration of these things. After all, this thread was titled "new engineering concepts on piano sound production". I was immediately drawn to it.

But chakras, healing frequencies, cellular experiences and the likes have nothing to do with scientific and engineering concepts. So I called them out! That's not rhetoric, it's making a much-needed distinction between science and non-science. I might not be a trained piano technician, but I'm a trained scientist.

Robert, if you claim to be talking in scientific and engineering terms, but post all sorts of non-science, then you must be prepared to be called out! Amongst scientists, such robust discussion is absolutely normal, because we are passionate about cutting through the chase and getting to the real science.

Yea, I noticed that too, and was puzzled until I recalled some butchering my spell-checker has suggested in the past. Still ... there has been a little on the order of defiance in the OPs posts, so the mistake may have some tangential merit.

>You tube really isn't the proper place to have a true judgement and has no comparison rather than in person but for now this is all we have at the moment.

Robert,

Maybe, then your announcement and posting of the videos was a bit premature. These videos may pop up for the coming years if you search on your technology, and thus people may reject the actual sound of your invention based on these videos for years to come.

I recommend getting a really good audio engineer that uses dead flat response mics with the piano in a good acoustic environment. And reports very careful which mics and which environment was used so that people can put the recording in the right perspective.

Without a good recording, I guess you're not going to convince people even to come to hear the real thing.

My guess is that the original poster has a real product, but the lack of pictures of the granite bridge, bits of new-age pseudo-science, and the ease with which sound files can be modified has produced some very legitimate questioning and the slight hint of a spoof.

My guess is that the original poster has a real product, but the lack of pictures of the granite bridge, bits of new-age pseudo-science, and the ease with which sound files can be modified has produced some very legitimate questioning and the slight hint of a spoof.

It is real. I first saw this piano a few weeks ago, and again last night at the Chicago PTG meeting. In terms of what it sounds like, one could describe it as Phoenix bridge agraffes on steroids. The sustain is long, and the tone is clear. In my opinion, it improved the sound of the piano.

That being said, I have concerns:

Serviceability: the bridge pins are epoxied into the granite, so how does one replace the bridge pins when they inevitably deteriorate?

Workmanship quality: I thought the bridge pinning looked sloppy, partly due to the fact that the bridge pins are inserted vertically and then bent. Additionally, the added dampers looked sloppily done. These are things that would need improvement before they're put in a high-end piano. The bridge notching looked good, though.

Practicality: I don't see how the work required to do this is worth the effort (more on this later).

Longevity: Others at the meeting expressed concerns about how the granite and soundboard will interact as the soundboard changes over time.

As I see it, there are two reasons why the bridge changes the sound of the piano: it's a more efficient termination than wood is, and it has a lot more mass than wood.

As many on here know, there are some small-scale rebuilders/builders of pianos who use hardened termination points and/or ebony capped bridges. This makes the piano sound more clear.

There is also the mass issue. Granite has a lot more mass than wood. By using granite as a bridge, they are essentially mass-loading the soundboard, which raises its mechanical impedance, slows the transfer of energy from strings to soundboard, and thus lengthens sustain. The bass bridge, unlike the treble, is not solid granite; it is a wood bridge with a granite cap. Why? A full granite bass bridge would raise the impedance too much in that area of the soundboard and kill the tone. This is why some incorporate floating bridges or thin the board in the bass area.

With this in mind, I'm confident that one could produce the same effects with a traditional bridge (without all the fuss of granite) by mass loading the soundboard with brass weights or using auxiliary riblets, and using more efficient terminations (i.e. bridge agraffes, etc.). There is nothing magical about granite.

Yea, I noticed that too, and was puzzled until I recalled some butchering my spell-checker has suggested in the past. Still ... there has been a little on the order of defiance in the OPs posts, so the mistake may have some tangential merit.

To the folks who are pros,technicians, masters in there own right etc.. have critical views on incorporating granite and other types a stone into the design of a piano is unorthodox but until you hear one in person as the PTG did and Thomas Zoells owner of the Pianoforte Chicago and Dr. Richard Bosworth who are all credible with a very articulate views agree this is a revolutionary concept that gives the artist a chance to explore new and interpretive vistas you will realize this as fact as well. During our presentation on September 18th Richard Bosworth will compare to a high end in comparison while hands on with the folks who attend. Science doesn't lie and we have the facts. When our prototype was tuned to 444, 4.7Hz higher than 440. After playing @ the 528 healing frequency this is what Richard Bosworth had to say:

My Impressions of The 528 Frequency

Initial reactions:

The sound and timbre were intoxicatingly alluring.There was a feeling of well-being.Serenity and calmness pervaded.I felt very relaxed and restful.There was less stress; a state of repose came over me.My body and mind were more open to stimuli.The experience put me in a trance.There was also a mesmerizing effect.The resulting effect was like having a power nap.My whole being resonated a relaxed state of mind, both mentally and physically.The endorphins were flowing throughout my body.I was attracted to listening to the sound as well as producing it.This instrument had an undeniably compelling quality.After playing it, the little annoyances of life disappeared.The feeling became ineffable and could not be put into words.There was a lingering effect for at least a half hour afterwards.My First Impressions On Playing These Intriguing Granite-Enhanced PianosBy Richard BosworthGeneral observations:

My first impressions were very subtle, yet powerful. It simply had a hypnotic effect. In this instance, the statement "music soothes the beast" fit exactly how I felt. After I played this instrument, my spirit was calm almost to the point of being reflective. It was as if I had been meditating and my soul was refreshed. A sense of universal, collective consciousness became a palpable moment for me.

I am beginning to realize that tuning to the 528 frequency is not only wonderful, but NECESSARY. Implementing this technique complemented by the granite bridges of a piano, has allowed me to experience a new realm of awareness. In fact, I earnestly seek out this quality and will not settle for anything less. The regular standard tunings along with the traditional wooden bridges are no longer satisfying; it is a rather irritating and frustrating scenario.

Anybody reading these thoughts here will probably think that I am a bit exaggerated in my perceptions. If so, I would encourage you to find out for yourself. Come, play this piano and see if what I am saying is true. Suspend your judgment for just a second and get ready for an extraordinary sonic adventure.

Allow me to leave you with this? Nothing can be more noble and worthwhile than to bring good will to one's fellow-man. I believe this 528 frequency and granite bridge combination has a healing effect that will have a more far-reaching outcome in terms of positive impact on humanity. To leave a legacy of this nature to posterity can only help to better the world in which we live. And the saga continues...

All the junk science, pseudoscience, and new age mysticism in support of the granite bridge bring my BS detectors to full alert. What's next in the world of pianos--pyramid power??? As it turns out, granite is not a very good conductor of sound--it is very lossy, which is one of the reasons it is used in high-precision machinery, where vibrations are a problem, and a material that damps them out is very desirable.

Hold a bar of steel or aluminum so they can vibrate freely, and when given a rap, they will ring nicely--think of a tuning fork. If you do the same with granite, it will simply produce a thunk. Actually, the density and modulus of granite are very close to that of aluminum. Granite is harder, but the only place in which hardness is of particular importance is at the string contact, and various bridge agraffes that use steel at the string interface have addressed this issue. Will the granite bridge sound different? Sure, it is heavier and stiffer than wood--so are lots of other materials. Yawn...